7 Shows I Can't Stand to Watch With My Kid

Let's face it: Some of those animated characters make you want to reach through the screen and start slapping at cheesy little faces.

I get it. Kid shows are made for kids. They aren't supposed to appeal to us grown-ups. But part of me wonders how adults managed to even produce these shows with sane minds. So many of these cartoons are difficult to watch with my kid and, after chatting with several of my other mama friends, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not alone. In no order of importance/disgust, here are just a few shows that many parents simply can't stand.

1. Dora the Explorer

Look, part of me doesn't want to hate on Dora because she has really taught my child many Spanish words. I've been introducing my daughter to Spanish since she was born, so I've always appreciated that extra dose. But does she have to repeat EVERYTHING? Kids dig repetition, I know, but hearing "Bridge, Forest, Mary's House" 14 times makes me want to throw something at the TV. Her cousin Diego has a show, and he is a thousand times less annoying. And? He totally has better music. #TeamDiego

I remember this show being popular before I had kids. I didn't really watch it until a few months ago, and I'm shocked that it was actually this popular. Why? Granted, it's not an animated show, but the characters seems so insanely huge and quirky that I'm confused as to how they appeal to kids. The music is awful, and I usually never know what's going on in the show. Oh, and DJ Lance smiles WAY too much. Were the producers drunk during episode shoots?

3. Thomas the Tank Engine

I polled a few of my mommy friends and almost everyone listed this show. Thomas the Tank Engine has been on for decades. I'm still trying to figure out how. The plots are very simple, there is little to no music and, well, they're trains. They don't dance or sing and overall the show seems very boring with not a ton of educational value behind it. So what's the point? More importantly, why does my kid love it so much?

4. Caillou

This is a show that, I think, most parents really can't stand. My daughter never watched it regularly but I've spent a mess-load of my babysitting days sitting around having to endure the whiney tones that is this kid. Not only is Caillou whiney, he is also rude and mean and displayed actions that we parents don't want our kids copying. The hatred for this show is so deep that there are dozens of blog posts and Facebook pages all surrounding the hate that parents have for Caillou.

5. Curious George

Never mind that a grown man lives with a monkey, but what I don't get about this show is how this pesky little monkey has captured the attention of my very energetic toddler. How does George do it? Like Thomas, he doesn't sing or dance. He just gets into a ton of messes and spends every episode trying to clean it up. Also, just how in the world is the main character of a show the only non-talking character? Crazy!

6. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

The show itself isn't THAT bad. I mean, the music is catchy and simple, they only repeat things five times (take note, Dora), they feature diverse family structures, and they incorporate real-life experiences with the animation. Educationally, I find that it has a lot of value. After all, it was adapted from Mister Roger's Neighborhood and who didn't love that show? The one thing that really makes me hate this show is that blasted cat character who says "Meow, meow" every time she opens her animated mouth. It's enough to drive any sleep-deprived parent batty.

At first glance, Peppa Pig looks pretty harmless. How can a show about adorable piggies be annoying? You're kidding, right? The snorting doesn't stop. These pigs do it constantly, and every time it happens I want to slam myself into a wall. There isn't much educational value in the show, and how kids are drawn to Peppa and her adventures is beyond me. It must be the British accent.

Luckily, there are a lot of shows that I don't mind watching with my girl, including Sesame Street, Doc McStuffins, Clifford the Early Years and Food Network shows. Yes, somehow this 2.5 year old finds cooking competition shows to be entertaining. Excuse me while I mold an Iron Chef Junior.